The lives of tsars famous and infamous are covered in a lively series of biographical portraits stretching from the late fifteenth to the early twentieth centuries. Discover the facts behind the reputations of rulers such as Ivan the Terrible, whose reign of terror was unparalleled in Russian history until Stalin; Catherine the Great, the determined young German princess who usurped power; and the last tsar, Nicholas II, vainly endeavoring to cope in a period of devastating change. Here too are the less familiar but equally intriguing personalities who occupied Russia's imperial throne: the pious but feeble Feodor I and the Empress Anna, with her taste for cruel practical jokes.

In "Civil War", Peter Ackroyd continues his dazzling account of England's history, beginning with the progress south of the Scottish king, James VI, who on the death of Elizabeth I became the first Stuart king of England, and ends with the deposition and flight into exile of his grandson, James II. The Stuart dynasty brought together the two nations of England and Scotland into one realm, albeit a realm still marked by political divisions that echo to this day. More importantly, perhaps, the Stuart era was marked by the cruel depredations of civil war, and the killing of a king. Ackroyd paints a vivid portrait of James I and his heirs. Shrewd and opinionated, the new King was eloquent on matters as diverse as theology, witchcraft and the abuses of tobacco, but his attitude to the English parliament sowed the seeds of the division that would split the country in the reign of his hapless heir, Charles I. Ackroyd offers a brilliant - warts and all - portrayal of Charles's nemesis Oliver Cromwell, Parliament's great military leader and England's only dictator, who began his career as a political liberator but ended it as much of a despot as 'that man of blood', the king he executed. England's turbulent seventeenth century is vividly laid out before us, but so too is the cultural and social life of the period, notable for its extraordinarily rich literature, including Shakespeare's late masterpieces, Jacobean tragedy, the poetry of John Donne and Milton and Thomas Hobbes' great philosophical treatise, Leviathan. Civil War also gives us a very real sense of the lives of ordinary English men and women, lived out against a backdrop of constant disruption and uncertainty.

From birth, Hatshepsut was one of the most important women in the Mediterranean world, the daughter of a general who usurped Egypt's throne and a mother with ties to the previous dynasty. Hatshepsut's job was to bear sons who would legitimize the reign of her father's family, but she was instead given one daughter. Although problematic for other women of her status and heritage, her failure to produce a male heir was the twist of fate that would pave the way for her inconceivable and serendipitous rule. Scholars of Ancient Egypt have long speculated about why Hatshepsut's monuments were destroyed within a few decades of her death, effecting the near-erasure of the reign of Egypt's second female pharaoh. Constructing a rich narrative history using the artifacts that remain, Kara Cooney, a noted expert on Ancient Egypt, presents her own theories on how Hatshepsut methodically consolidated power and ascended through numerous religious and political positions to the title of king at just twenty years old--and why she fell from public favor just as quickly. In addition to cross-dressing, gender-bending Hatshepsut's significance as an exceptional historical figure, her tale also proves to be a thoroughly modern one. The Woman Who Would Be King explores the obstacles facing women who seek positions of prominence and prestige in a society that equates authority with masculinity, and our complicated reactions to women in power.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns meets The Queen of the Tearling in this thrilling fantasy standalone about one girl’s unexpected rise to power. Freya was never meant to be queen. Twenty-third in line to the throne, she never dreamed of a life in the palace, and would much rather research in her laboratory than participate in the intrigues of the court. However, when an extravagant banquet turns deadly and the king and those closest to him are poisoned, Freya suddenly finds herself on the throne. She may have escaped the massacre, but she is far from safe. The nobles don’t respect her, her councillors want to control her, and with the mystery of who killed the king still unsolved, she knows that a single mistake could cost her the kingdom—and her life. Freya is determined to survive, and that means uncovering the murderers herself. Until then, she can’t trust anyone. Not her advisers. Not the king’s dashing and enigmatic illegitimate son. Not even her own father, who always wanted the best for her but also wanted more power for himself. As Freya’s enemies close in and her loyalties are tested, she must decide if she is ready to rule and, if so, how far she is willing to go to keep the crown.

This title is nominated for "Sunday Times", "Daily Telegraph", "TLS", "Financial Times", "Guardian", "Daily Mail" and "Sunday Telegraph" Books Of The Year. "He were a dark prince, and infinitely suspicious, and his times full of secret conspiracies and troubles". (Sir Francis Bacon). In his remarkable debut, Penn vividly recreates the dark and turbulent reign of Henry VII. He traces the transformation of a young, vulnerable boy, Prince Henry, into the aggressive teenager who would become Henry VIII, and of Catherine of Aragon, his future queen. And at the book's heart is the tragic, magnetic figure of Henry VII - controlling, paranoid, avaricious, with a Machiavellian charm and will to power.

The most mighty monarch of all time is back! King Conan returns in The Chronicles of King Conan! The adventures of Conan and his family, continue in "Vengeance from the Desert," "A Clash of Kings," "A Queen Reclaimed," "Bones of the Brown Man," and "The Fang of Set!" You will thrill to adventures that could only be brought to you by master scribes such as Roy Thomas and Doug Moench and illustrated by the unequalled John Buscema and Ernie Chan! Книжка-комикс.

Destiny and darkness collide in this romantic, sweeping new fantasy series from New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan. Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok's lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna's survival depends on the world believing she is dead. But that doesn't stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized. With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

Stephen King's international bestselling and highly acclaimed novel, also a hugely successful film starring Tom Hanks The Green Mile: those who walk it do not return, because at the end of that walk is the room in which sits Cold Mountain penitentiary's electric chair. In 1932 the newest resident on death row is John Coffey, a giant black man convicted of the brutal murder of two little girls. But nothing is as it seems with John Coffey, and around him unfolds a bizarre and horrifying story. Evil murderer or holy innocent - whichever he is - Coffey has strange powers which may yet offer salvation to others, even if they can do nothing to save him.

The book is intended to present the fierce opposition between Catholics and Protestants in 16th century England under the reign of Queen Mary I from 1553 to 1558. By analysing the Marian regime’s legislation and the main Royal Injunctions, it becomes explicit that inseparable connections between religion and politics existed at the time. As far as foreign policy is concerned, the book examines the influence of Mary I’s husband, the future Philip II of Spain, and the Habsburgs, since the marriage ultimately left its mark on the ‘European balance of power’. In order to give a comprehensive summary of the religious matters that characterized the era of Mary Tudor, the book pays attention not just to Mary’s legislation and attitude towards the Protestants, but also to the possible motives behind the spread of heresy in England from the late 14th century, to the antecedents of Mary I’s reign, and also to the consequences of the Marian regime. The analysis provided in the book can be useful for everyone who wishes to learn more about English history concerning Reformation and Counter-Reformation.